Check It Out! New Kitchen Tools from Le Creuset, Casabella, Simplehuman & More

Total Home Event 2013

Grate Ginger Tool from Edgeware

Last week I went to the Total Home event in New York, an annual showcase of new products from a few select brands, including Le Creuset, Simplehuman, Schmidt Bros knives, Edgeware, and Casabella. Here are a few new products that caught my eye:

Edgeware: I was perhaps most excited about the Grate Ginger tool from Edgeware. As you know, we loooooooove Edgeware's citrus zester, and this new little tool looks like it might end up in that class. This all-in-one tool basically peels, grates, slices, and juices ginger. (Maybe you could use it for garlic, too?) As someone who uses a lot of ginger and gets very frustrated grating it, I can't wait for this tool to come out. Retail $20 and available later this fall. Other new offerings from Edgeware: a pizza cutter sharpener and an 3-in-one peeler, with an attached scrubber and paring knife.

Le Creuset: We always love seeing what Le Creuset has in store for us. They've recently expanded on their coffee and tea collection, which now includes espresso mugs, a tea-for-one pot, and cute little tea bag holders in the shape of a teapot! Other standouts include a brand-new extra large double burner grill ($230) and a Spanish paella pan ($230), available in September.

Casabella: A few new offerings from Casabella include a 2-in-1 veggie brush. The harder bristles on the outside are good for cleaning potatoes, celery, apples, and carrots, while the pop-out softer silicone brush on the inside is meant for mushrooms. They also have a new one-handed cherry pitter that pits cherries with the push of a button (you can also use for olives) and a few brightly colored silicone jiggers.

Schmidt Bros Cutlery: Schmidt Bros knives have really expanded in the last two years. From their initial launch at West Elm, they've now moved into other big box stores like Macy's and Sur La Table. They've got a new line of Titaniumknives coming out, new cream bone handles on select knives, and they're launching specialty gift sets for the holidays.

Simplehuman: The big new development with Simplehuman is their rechargeable automatic soap dispenser. Yup, you heard right. Their sensor pump (which is really nice in the kitchen when you've got messy hands!) now has a USB port on the back. Plug it into the wall, your computer, whatever. What will they think of next? Available now for $70.

Dreamfarm: The silicone Sit-Up Scraping Spoon from Dreamfarm isn't new, but it has been so popular that it keeps selling out of the stores! Once I saw it myself, I understood why. The long narrow, flexible design would be perfect for scraping out the last bits of tough-to-reach jars. You can also use it for measuring, and the angled end means it sits up off the countertop (no mess). It's one of those tools you reach for again and again. Available now.